Morocco and Chad signed, Friday in Rabat, two cooperation agreements in the fields of international road transport and logistics and a Memorandum of Understanding relating to the granting of scholarships and internships in Morocco.
These agreements were initialed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, and his Chadian counterpart, Chérif Mahamat Zene, who is on a working visit to the Kingdom.
The first agreement on international road transport of passengers, goods and transit aims to organize international road transport of goods and passengers between the two countries or in transit through their territories.
The second framework cooperation agreement in the field of logistics seeks to establish a mutually beneficial approach to cooperation in the development of the logistics sector in the two countries.
As for the Memorandum of Understanding relating to the granting of scholarships and internships in Morocco, it aims to further promote Moroccan-Chadian cooperation in the cultural, scientific, technical and socio-economic fields, as well as in the sectors where this cooperation would prove to be fruitful, in particular through the granting of study grants, the organization of training and advanced training courses, the sending of experts and the exchange of visits of officials.
Speaking at a joint press briefing following talks between the two ministers, Mr. Bourita noted that Mr. Mahamat Zene's visit was an opportunity to strengthen the solid and historic relations between the two countries.
The minister stressed that Morocco and Chad have agreed to hold the joint commission in March 2022, in order to strengthen the legal framework which, over the past two years, has been marked by the signing of six conventions.
This joint commission, said Mr. Bourita, will be an ideal opportunity to bring together businessmen from the two countries, adding that the Moroccan private sector has a strong presence in Chad in various fields, in particular the banking sector, telecommunications, construction and infrastructure.
Regarding the issue of training, the minister said that it has always been an essential element in bilateral relations, recalling that Morocco has trained more than 1,000 Chadian executives.
"Today, the two countries have agreed to increase the number of Moroccan scholarships awarded to Chadians to reach 150 scholarships annually in academic, professional and managerial training," he said.
Mr. Bourita also highlighted the strong bilateral religious cooperation, recalling that in accordance with the High Royal Instructions, Morocco has trained 200 Chadian imams at the Mohammed VI Institute for the training of Imams, Mourchidines and Mourchidates, in addition to the construction of a mosque in N'Djamena to strengthen spiritual and religious ties between the two brotherly countries.
He added that Chad has benefited, within the framework of the health support granted, on Very High Instructions from HM King Mohammed VI, from Moroccan medical aid to support this African State in its efforts to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
For his part, Mr. Mahamat Zene stressed that his working visit to the Kingdom is part of the strengthening of bilateral ties and the consolidation of political relations on regional and international issues of common interest.
Chad and Morocco enjoy excellent relations of brotherhood and cooperation which are increasingly strengthened and extended to various fields, in accordance with the High Instructions of the Heads of State of the two countries, he said.
The Chadian foreign minister said that his talks with his Moroccan counterpart were also an opportunity to examine bilateral cooperation, while welcoming with great satisfaction its "dynamic and diversified" development which encourages the promotion of more multifaceted exchanges at all levels, including political consultations.
In this regard, he reiterated Chad's desire to give new impetus to economic and trade cooperation with Morocco as well as to investments, while inviting Moroccan and Chadian economic operators to explore all the opportunities offered by the two countries, with a view to designing joint investment projects and initiatives.
Mahamat Zene also said that new agreements will be concluded at the next meeting of the joint commission, scheduled in Morocco, with a view to broadening the fields of bilateral cooperation to new areas.
